Aeolothripidae, with more than 216 extant species and 24 genera, is ranked as the second largest family of the suborder Terebrantia after Thripidae (ThripsWiki 2023). Members of the family are generally flower inhabiting phytophagous species, or facultative predators of other arthropods. However, a few are solely phytophagous, some being univoltine in flowers of specific host species (Tyagi et al., 2008); although in the warmer areas of the world, a significant number of species are reported as obligate predators. The second instar larvae of all members produce a silken cocoon within which they pupate.
Members of the family Melanthripidae seem to be phytophagous, feeding and breeding on flowers. They are distinguishable by a well-developed pair of trichobothria on abdominal tergite X, transverse sensoria on the antennal segments, and a well-developed tentorium in the head.
The Merothripidae is a family of small to minute thrips found on dead twigs and in leaf litter, and that presumably feed on fungal-hyphae. Members of the family are recognised by the presence in females of a pair of lobes each bearing two setae on the posterior margin of sternite VII. Sexual dimorphism is common in this family, and males have enlarged fore legs and the dorsal surface of the head developed into a large glandular area (Moritz 1984).
The species in this family apparently all breed in flowers, and they probably have a high degree of host specificity. All four species of this genus breed in the male flowers of date palms and its relatives.
The family Thripidae, with approximately 2159 species in 286 genera is the largest family of the suborder Terebrantia. They breed in flowers, on leaves, a few are predatory on other soft bodied arthropods and a very few are associated with mosses. Majority of the pest species and all of the Tospovirus vectors belong to this family (ThripsWiki, 2023). Some flower inhabiting Thripidae have been confirmed to be effective as pollinators on specific host species (Mound, 2004). The Poaceae members support many genera of the family (Mound, 2011a). Wing polymorphism is also observed on a number of species.
